Flush valve



March 28, 1950 E, F, METZGER 2,502,335

I FLUSH VALVE Filed May 14, 1945 if F.7- gx Patented Mar. 28, 1950UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in ush valves, wherein provisionis made for a more accurate control and cut-off of the flow, and whereinthe cooperating parts are relatively few in number, associated forconvenient access for repair or replacement, and arranged to providemaximum .eiiiciency for a long period of time.

lAprimary object of the invention is the provision of a flush valvestructure, including a primary valve normally held closed by the servicewater pressure, and a manually-controlled secondary valve manuallyoperable for unbalancing the holding pressure on the primary valve tothereby effect opening of the primary valve for flushing.

The present invention is an improvement over the ilush valve structuredisclosed in applicants Patent No. 2,145,772, dated January 31, 1939,and includes in its construction certain cooperating elements wherebythe sensitiveness and efliciency of the valve is substantially improvedover that of the patent above referred to.

The present invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment thereofin the accompanying drawing, and wherein- Figure 1 is a verticalsectional view of the improved flush valve structure.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional View on line 2--2 of Figure 1. l

Figurel Bis a horizontal sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a iragmental elevational View on an enlarged scale asobserved from the plane of line 4 4 of Figure 1.

y. -Figure 5 is a fragmental vertical sectional view showing theactuating lever in its secondary valve unseating position.

. Figure 6 is a similar view showing the cushion disc on an enlargedscale.

The improved valve in its preferred form com-l prisesa casing Il] havinga bowl shaped portion Il from which dependsa cylindrical deliverysectionv I2. The bowl II is provided with an internallythreaded portionI3 for connection of the service pipe of the water system.

The casing I I)l is provided with a bushing I4 whose upper end'providesa'primary valve seat L5 and said end ls recessed inwardly of the seatfor accommodating a cushion disc '16.A

A,'Ih'egprimary valve`4 comprises a metallic bushing I1 which isexternally engaged bya rubber bushing I8, thebushing I8 including anintermediate lcylindricalv portion I9 conforming with the bushing anupper frusto-conical portion 55 2U terminating in an anchoring rim 2I,lower horizontal seat engaging portion 22.

A secondary valve 24 includes a base or valve seating portion 25 and avertical cylindrical portion 26.

The valve 24 is biased toward a seat gasket 21 by means of a spring 28extending axially of a cylindrical member 29 whose upper end is securedto the bushing I1, the spring being secured at its upper end to thevalve 24 and at its lower end being secured to a member 3Q extendingdiametf rically of the lower end of member 29.

The anchoring rim 2l of the rubber bushing I8. is engaged by a coverplate 32 and a cover 34 is threadedly engaged with the casing Ill andbearsl against the cover plate 32 to thereby retain the rubber bushingI8 in position.

The secondary valve 24 is adapted for manual unseating and the improvedmechanism for this purpose includes a rocker sleeve 35 including acylindrical portion 36 telescopingly engaged within the cylindricalportion 25 of the secondary valve and a horizontal rim portion 31.

The rocker sleeve is adapted for actuation by and a f' means of a lever38 provided with a manipulating handle 39.

The lever 38 includes a fulcrum collar 4l) dis. posed within a recess 4Iin the cover plate 32, the` collar being yieldably retained in therecess by, means of a rubber gasket 42 engaged adjacent its periphery bya washer 43 which in turn is engaged by a retaining ring 44 threadedlyengaged with the cover plate 32.

The lever 38 adjacent its lower end is providedI with a boss 45 adaptedfor engagement with the rim portion 31 of the rocker sleeve to unseatthe secondary valve 24.

The lever is biased to normal vertical position by means of a spring 45which surrounds the lever and whose lower end engages over a` ange 41dening said recess 4I and whose upper end engages a 'cupped plate 48through which the lever extends.

The cover 34 is provided with a relatively largev aperture 49 for propermovement of the lever and such aperture is internally covered by ashield 50 which is biased toward the cover by means of a spring 5I whoselower end engages a nut 52 threaded on the handle and retained inposition by a cotter 53, the latter limiting upward move-k ment of theplate 48. Y 1

The primary valve is maintained in an accu-. rate vertical path ofmovement by means of guide ribs 54 on the cylindrical member 29 whichengage the inner wall of the bushing I4.

A by-pass 55 is provided to elect balanced pressures on opposite sidesof the primary valve after ilushing in order to cause the primary valveto automatically close and such by-pass is adjustable in order toselectively vary the duration oi a ushing operation.

Such by-pass may desirably include an aperture 56 in the metallicbushing Il and a plate 5l adjustable about the axis 58 to vary theeffective area of the aperture. A set screw 59 may provide such axis andeiect locking oi the plate 5l in any adjusted position. The detailstructure of the valve having been described, the operation thereof isas follows:

Water entering the service line in the direction of the arrow will havefound its way through the by-pass 55 whereby equal pressures `will havebeen established on opposite sides of the primary valve, whereby samewill remain closed.

. When it is desired to perform a ushing operation, the handle 39 isgrasped and the lever 38 rocked about its fulcrum fili with the resultthat boss 45 will `engage rim 3l of the rocker sleeve 35 therebyeffecting rocking of the secondary valve Y2A Such rocking or lifting ofthe secondary valve will permit discharge of a jet of water from withinthe primary valve through the member 29. The resultant decrease ofpressure within the primary valve, causes the unbalanced pressure toreact upwardly against the frusto-conical por tionV 2li resulting in thelifting of the primary valve from its seat l5 to occasion a flow throughthe delivery l2,

The primary valve is thus partially collapsed and will gradually closeas a balanced pressure is :f

established by admittance of service water through the adjustableby-pass 55.

Even if the handle is held in flushing position,

the primary valve will rise high enough for the rocker sleeve rimportion 3l to clear the 4,5, whereupon the secondary valve willinstantly reseat to maintain the partial vacuum within the primaryvalve. The rocker sleeve in this ccntingency is suspended on the bossd5, Fig. 5, as the primary valve descends. When the handle is releasedthe rocker sleeve drops to normal position. Consequently the flow is ofuniform duration regardless of Whether the handle is released or heldOpen.

; As is more clearly indicated in Fig. 6, the cushion disc i 6 has anunrestricted vertical range of movement oi approximately s inch to{sinch between the valve seat portion 22 and the bottom of the recessaccommodating same. The disc. seats in the bushing recess approximatelys inch in advance of the valve seat portion 22, thus substantiallyarresting the flow and establishing a back pressure which retards theprimary valve to a slow closing movement.

When the primary valve is opened the bottom of the disc receiving recessrestricts the disc to its limited eld of action. When the primary valveis closed the disc rests slightly below the seat I5. Of course the discrises above the seatl l5 when the valve is open, but it is at all timesslightly below the valve seat portion 22 and consequently seats earlierto cushion the closing of the yprimary valve; i v

y.Preferably the ribs 5s are integral vvit'nmernber 29 but if desired, aseparate ribbed member may be securedby any desired means to member 29.

While I have disclosed but a single specic em-lv scope of the inventionbeing dened in the subjoined claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by U. S. Letters Patent is:

l. A flush valve comprising a casing having inlet and outlet openings, abushing vertically supported in the casing within said outlet openingand whose upper end provides a primary valve seat, a hollow primaryvalve including a flexible bushing having an upper horizontal portionclampingly engaged with said casing and a lower horizontal seat engagingportion, a by-pass valve in said primary valve for establishing balancedpressure within and without the valve, an opening in said hollow primaryvalve concentric with said nrst bush'ng, a gasket dening a secondaryvalve seat around said opening, a secondary valve having an imperforatebottom portion normally resting on said secondary valve seat and avertically disposed cylindrical wall, a rocker member within saidcylindrical wall and vertically moyable relative thereto, handleoperated means sup' ported by said cas'ng for tilting said rocked memberand thereby the secondary valve to unseat same and unbalan-ce thepressures on the primary valve for opening thereof by such unbalancedpressures, and a vertically disposed cylindrical member within saidfirst bushing and having its upper end secured to said primary valvearound the opening therein, a spring within said cylindrical membernormally biasing said secondary valve to seating position, and guidemeans bei tween said member and said bushing.

2. A iiusn valve including a casing formed with a water inlet and awater outlet, a bushing in the casing formed at its upper end with avalve seat, a primary valve cooperating with said seat and formed with acentra1 opening, a discharge sleeve arranged in and passing through andbeyond the opening in the primary valve, a flexible member overlying andforming part of said primary valve and having a portion extending incontact with and snugly fitting an upstanding portion of the primaryvalve and another portion connected to the casing, a secondary valveoverlying and normally closing the opening in the primary valve andhaving an extended wall in spaced parallel relation to the upstandingportion of the primary valve to provide a pressure space overlying theprmary and secondary valves, a rocker sleeve movable within and bearingagainst the extended wall of the secondary valve, said sleeve having aninturned ange at the upper' downward pressure on the primary valve,means' connecting the pressure space to the inlet of the casing, andyieldable means within said discharge sleeve operatively engaged withsaid secondary valve for biasing same to its seated position in,l

closing the opening in the primary valve.

3. A construction as defined in claim 2, wherein the means connectingthe pressure space to the, casing inlet includes an opening in theupstandin'g. portion ci the primary ,valve and the lexible,

member, and wherein said discharge sleeve is con-J centrically disposedwithin said bushing with the. external wall of the sleeve in substantialspaced. relation to the internal wall of the bushing, and' vertically.disposed ribs on the sleeve engageableg, with said internal wall of thebushing for guiding' the primary valve in a direction axially of thesleeve and bushing.

4. A construction as defined in claim 2, wherein the means connectingthe pressure space to the casing inlet includes an opening in theupstanding portion of the primary valve and flexible member, and meansfor adjusting the size of the opening comprising a generally triangularplate pivotally connected adjacent one apex thereof to the upstandingportion of the primary valve, the plate including a substantially wideportion adjacent the opening and which upon swinging of the plate aboutits pivotal connection covers the opening to variable extents, and a setscrew in the plate adjacent its pivotal connection for retaining same inadjusted position.

5. A construction as dened in claim 2, wherein the lever for rocking thesleeve for tilting the secondary valve is mounted in a fulcrum carriedby a cover plate bearing on a seal, said cover plate being secured tothe casing and engaging the upper end of the flexible member to limitthe area of the pressure space `within the casing.

EDGAR F. METZGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

